Terminal box



July 2, 1935. D. J. ALLEN 2,006,622

TERMINAL BOX Filed Jan. 30, 1935 l W 4,4 DWZ WZ; o Q 2 BY f l I ATT NEY.

I Patented July 2, 1935 I 2,006,622

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TERMINAL BOX Dennis J. Allen, Binghamton, N.Y., assignor of one-half to Charles Pearls, Blnghamton, N. Y.

Application January 30, 193:, sci-n1 No. ssuss 6 Claims. (01. 247-14) YMy invention relates to a terminal box for elec- Figure is a bottom viewof the insulating tric circuits and has for its principal object theblock.

provision of a simple, economical and eflicient Figure 6 is a detailsectional view taken on the terminal means for the wires of variouselectrical line 65 01' Figure 1.

5 circuits leading thereto and therefrom. With reference now to thedetails of the figures 5 Heretofore, and with the terminal boxes in com-01' the drawing, i indicates a terminal box or housmen use now, a realproblem has existed due to ins 01' a y desi d Size or Shape, but P a ythe fact that no suitable or adequate means is of the Plural Sidedcharacter in Common use provided for connecting the proper wires 01'each today. I ave shown a octagonfilly p d box in circuit and insulatingthem from the wires of but it will be understood that my invention isthe other circuits. The common practice has q y adap to other Shapeg- Ybeen to splice the appropriate circuit wires to- Suitably secured withinopenings thru certain gether and then tape the splice. With two or sidesof t e box I are the clamp fi i s 2 adapt d more sets of wiresterminating in a box, this has to receive the d o cables 3 thru whichthe been diflicult to accomplish because 01 the rcw r s 4 pass int theterminal box The ends 15 stricted space. For the same reason, when such01" the Wires 4 entering e bOX from each Cable splicing and taping iscompleted it is difiicult t are to be connected together in accordancewith crowd the heavily taped splices into the box i the circuits ofwhich they are a part and. thus permitthe cover to be placed thercomplete such circuits thru the terminal box. Furthermore, the wires ofcorresponding cir- The cmlesponding C u t W s are usually dis- -20 cultsare usually provided with a fabric covering tinguishflble by the 001010! the fabric Covering 5 of the same color and distinguished over thewires around the Wires- This fabric, and y insulaci other circuits. whenthe taping operation tion thereunder is removed fromthe extreme how inpractice, is completed, it is often imends of the wires. leaving t bareas a 6 o possible to distinguish the wires of particular fiontactPurposes, 9-515 wen understood- 25 circuits. Secured to the bottom 1 ofthe box I as by the I have provided a terminal box in which there sciewsa is an insulatim block 9 of any suitable are provided insulated bindingposts for receiving insulating material- This block is provided 011 thewires ofthe variou it and have its underside with a relatively deepgroove or vided a means for insulating such binding posts channelextending from one edge to the other 30 and their conductor supportsfrom each Other in across said block. Disposed within this groove Insuch a way that; no taping is required no crowdis a strip H or metalconstituting an electric ing of the wires is necessary, and the readilyconductor and the ends of which are bent D- distinguishable circuitwires may be easily and vat the edges 01 the block, 88 at t0 8 quicklyattached in proper relation without splic- D Spflced above the upperSurface of the 35 ing and with maxim convenience block, where such endsare then bent inwardly One specific object of my invention lies in th inoverlying relation to said block as at i3. This provision of a novelarrangement of binding po t conductor strip I i is fixedly secured inthe groove and their conductor supports in combination wit as y rivetsso an insulating block, At right angles to the groove or channel In 4Other objects and advantages ill b apparent in the underside of block 9is a second groove l5,

as the description proceeds, reference now being of less depth thangroove and also extending had to the accompanyin drawing forming a fromone edge of the block to the other and part of this application and inwhich like reference intersecting groove numerals indicate like parts,Fixed in the groove H, as by rivets IE, is a 45 In the drawing: secondstrip ll of electric conducting material, Figure 1 is a top plan view ormy terminal b x also bent upwardly at the edges of the block 9,

with the cover removed, showing the arrangement as t i, to 8 P nt SpacedB V the block n of wires therein in actual use, where such ends are bentinwardly as at is to Figure 2 is a top plan view of the insulating y n!position with respect to the c 50 block with the binding posts thereon.Due to the difference in depth of the grooves Figure 3 is a detailsectional view taken n the III and II, it will be clear that theconductor line 3-3 of Figure 2. strips are out of contact with eachother, elimi- Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line nailin anychance or a short circuit between 4-4 01' Figure 2. them. I! desiredhowever, and as an extra pre- 55 caution, a strip 20 of insulatingmaterial may be placed in the groove ill between the'strip II and thestrip l1. 1

Removably secured to the block 8, as by the screws 2|, is a third strip22 of conducting material. This is positioned directly on the uppersurface of the block and exten agonally of the strips II and Figures 1and 2 so as not to interfere with the upper, overhanging portions of thelatter strips. Centrally of the strip 22 the same is bent upwardly awayfrom the block as at to provide a supporting saddle 24 spaced above theblock the same distance as the overhanging portions 13 and i9. Obviouslythis conducting strip 22 is fully insulated from the strips II and II bythe thickness of the block 9. By virtue of the screws 2i this auxiliaryconductor strip is readily removable if not needed.

All of the spaced overhanging portions, I3, I! and 24 are provided withthreaded openings as clearly shown in Figures 3, 4 and 6, receiving theheaded screw binding posts 25. Lying between the heads of the screws 25and the corresponding supports therefor, are the upwardly flangedretaining, clips 26 adapted to receive the bare ends of the wiresbetween such clips and in the box of course depends upon the circuitsinvolved and it will be obvious that I have provided a terminal devicewhich permits ready attachment or disengagement of the wires withoutdanger of short circuits, and without the use of tape, and which leavesthe box convenient and renders it efficient in operation.

Any conventional cover means may of course be provided for the box I.

Of course changes may be made in details of construction and arrangementof parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. Ido not limit myself therefore to the exact formherein shown anddescribed other than by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wireends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, aplurality of grooves of different depths in the side of said blockfarthest from the open side of said box and extending across the same,conductor strips in said grooves provided with supporting portionsextending around the edges of said block and-towards the open side ofsaid box, the ends of said portions being bent over said block in spacedrelation thereto, and binding posts for wire ends on said supportingportions.

2. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wireends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, aplurality of grooves of diflferent depths in the side of said blockfarthest from the open side of said box and extending across the same,conductor strips in said grooves provided with supporting preferably di-I, as shown in portions extending around the edges of said block andtowards t e open side of said box, the ends of said portions being bentover said block in spaced relation thereto, and binding post for wireends on saidsupporting portions, said grooves being disposed angularlyto and intersecting each other.

8. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wireends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, aplurality of grooves of different depths in the side of said blockfarthest from the open side of said box and extending across the same,conductor strips in said grooves provided with supporting portionsextending around the edges of said block and towards the open side ofsaid box, the ends of said portions being bent over said block in spacedrelation thereto, binding posts for wire ends on said supportingportions, said grooves being disposed angularly to and intersecting eachother, and insulating material separating the strips in the intersectionof said grooves.

4. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wireends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, agroove in the surface of said block farthest from the open side of saidbox and extending entirely across the same, a conductor strip secured insaid groove and having its ends formed around opposite sides of saidblock and projecting past said block toward the open side of said boxand bent to overlying relation, and binding posts on said overlying endsfor wire ends.

5. A terminal box comprising a housing having means for admitting wireends thereinto, a block of insulating material secured in said box, agroove in the surface of said block farthest from the open side of saidbox and extending entirely across the same, a second groove in the samesurface of said block angularly disposed from the first groove, saidgrooves being of different depths, conductor strips secured in saidgrooves and having their ends formed around the edges of said block andprojecting past the same toward the open side of said box and bent tooverlying relation,.and binding posts on said overlying ends for acrossthe same, a second groove in the same surface of said block angularlydisposed from the first groove, said grooves beingof different depths,conductor strips secured in said grooves and having their ends formedaround the edges of said block and projecting past the same toward the.

open side of said box and bent to overlying relation, binding posts onsaid overlying ends for wire' ends, and a removable conductor strip onthe-surface of said block toward saidopen side provided with a bindingpost in substantially the same plane as said first mentioned bindingpost.

- DENNIS J. ALLEN.

